Gravity Is Back In Energy Storage In A Very Different Way

The puzzle that bedevils renewables in electrification is storage. We usually think of batteries as the obvious solution and that is an excellent answer in small quantities and short periods of time.

The problem lies in renewables needing daylight or wind to generate power and when the base energy source sets or dies down the consumer is left hanging powerless.

Meanwhile the nature of electricity is to be used, essentially instantly, or be lost. So a conversion to something very stable is critical. Which brings us back to batteries.

Regular readers will know that pumped hydro is also a superb solution, of limited application, that uses gravity to hold the mass of water as a store of energy to generate power.

There is an alternative now making very impressive progress. Its not out of a university – its coming from entrepreneurs, engineers and venture capital.

Wired.com’s Matt Reynolds wrote about it in a long article that covers the technology and much of the conditions in the economic environment surrounding long term vast scale energy storage. Its well worth your time. Its an idea that looks like it just might work very well indeed.

https://www.wired.com/story/energy-vault-gravity-storage/

Lastly, your humble writer wants to send along the “I’m impressed”, congratulations and “best of luck and good fortune” to the founders, entrepreneurs, engineers and investors involved in the effort. Plus a thanks to Mr. Reynolds and Wired.com for triggering the article and the publicity.

The post Gravity Is Back In Energy Storage In A Very Different Way first appeared on New Energy and Fuel.